This invention relates to apparatus for peeling and deveining shrimp.
Various machines are known and in use for automatically removing the shell and the vein of shrimp. Machines of this nature are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,28l,436, 4,439,893 and 4,472,858. Another example of this type of machine is disclosed in E. D. Betts pending patent application Ser. No. 897,078 filed Aug. 18, 1986. The disclosures in the latter two patents and the pending application are incorporated herein by reference.
In a machine of the nature shown in the above application, shrimp to be processed are manually loaded into trays which move the shrimp to a turret wheel type of arrangement, the wheel carrying a number of clamp assemblies of its outer periphery. The shrimp are held by the clamp assemblies and moved in a circular path past a blade for cutting a groove along the backside of the shrimp, then past a brush and water jets for removing the vein, then past a set of forks for pulling the meat out of the shell, and finally past a device for removing the empty shell.
There are two styles or modes of processing and selling shrimp. In one mode, the entire shell of the shrimp is removed from the meat, and in the other mode, the tail and the first shell section remain on the meat while the remainder of the shell is removed. The latter style, being more difficult to produce, is able to command a higher market price.
In the past since the processing of the two styles are quite different, machines of different designs have been necessary. Consequently it has been necessary for a processor to purchase two types of machines, one for each style. This is of course a disadvantage because of the expense, space, etc. required.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved machine which has the capability of being operated in both styles and which may be quickly and easily converted from one style to the other.